Out of the Ashes - The 100th Hunger Games
by taysherrx
Summary: For a century now, the Hunger Games has captivated the Capitolʻs audiences. The Fourth Quarter Quell will be no different. The audiences have come to expect the twists and turns that Quarter Quells have to offer, but they could never have seen this twist coming. SYOT: OPEN!
1. The Announcement

**Out of the Ashes - The 100th Hunger Games**

**Summary: **For a century now the Hunger Games has captivated the Capitolʻs Audiences. Year after year, they have watched as children are shipped off to the arena and die. Some years are more entertaining than others. The Quarter Quells, for example, usually get better ratings due to the twists and turns that are added to the games. Now that the 4th Quarter Quell is among us, the audience is expecting nothing less than the best games ever. They could never, however, expect the twist that came with it.

**A/N**: Do people still do these up top anymore? No? LOL...ok. A lot has changed in the 5 years since I was here last. Anyway...a recent re-read of The Hunger Games trilogy has inspired me to stretch out my writing fingers and so here I am. This is (obviously) my first time doing a SYOT but I promise I will try to do my very best as I tackle this new-to-me genre. All SYOT info/forms are in my profile.

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A bead of sweat began to fall from her temple as she waited to take her place on stage. She brushed it off gently, trying her best not to ruin the heavy makeup that her beauty team had applied earlier. She didn't have to worry about that. Her hand barely dropped back to her side when one of the team members began dusting her face with more powder. The young man stepped back, tilted his head one way than another, looking her over before he finally gave her a satisfied smile.

"You are camera ready, President Ashe," he said before disappearing into the darkness.

President Jamelia Ashe nodded her thanks, even though she knew the boy hadn't seen it. Her face was stone as she watched Sterling Starfall dazzle the audience. Sterling's really was a captivating host. Of course, that was the reason why they were chosen to host the Hunger Games after Caesar Flickerman finally decided to retire.

A voice in her earpiece let her know that they were 1 minute from showtime. Jamelia watched as Sterling took their place on the stage. She noted the place where she would stand after her introduction. Soon, the voice was counting down. 5 seconds. 4, 3, 2. Action.

Sterling must have been listen to the same cues. As soon as the voice called 'Action', Sterling began. Sterling greeted the audience as though they were old friends. Jamelia figures they were. Sterling had only been on air for a few years now, but it was easy to feel as though she knew them for a lifetime.

The voice appeared in her ear again, this time telling her that she would make her entrance in 1 minute. Jamelia listened attentively to Sterling's introduction, waiting for her cue.

"Tonight is a very special night, Panem! We are very lucky to have our brand new President with us. Please welcome, for the first time to the Hunger Games stage, President Ashe!" Sterling announces and the audience in the studio breaks into wild applause.

Jamelia can't imagine the reaction she is receiving in the districts, but she is sure there is no applause. The thought is removed from her mind as she steps into the spotlight. This is not her first time being on TV, not is she new to any kind of spotlight. But it is her first time on The Hunger Games stage, as Sterling said, and it feels different for some reason. Maybe because she will have the honor, tonight, of presenting the guidelines for the Fourth Quarter Quell. Or maybe because this year marks 100 years of the Hunger Games. Either way, it is a big year and that overwhelms Jamelia.

Jamelia takes her spot next to Sterling. She is a little surprised when Sterling pulls her into a warm, greeting hug. She waves a bit at the cameras and the audience. It is just a moment or two before the audience quiets.

"Welcome, President Ashe!" Sterling says again, this time to her.

"Thank you, Sterling. And thank you, Panem. This is certainly different from my usual evenings of signing papers and meeting with officials. It's much more...exciting," Jamelia responds and receives a chuckle in response.

"Oh, I'm sure it is!," Sterling grins, "Of course, this is no ordinary year for the Hunger Games. It is the 100th Anniversary of the Hunger Games and it is the Fourth Quarter Quell. It's quite a lot for a new President."

"You're absolutely right, Sterling," Jamelia responds with a small smile, "However, I think I've proven that I can handle whatever is thrown at me so what more can I say than Bring It On."

The crowd goes wild again and it takes a little longer for them to calm down. She was referring to the way that she handled her opponents in the presidential selection and how she proved herself to be worthy of the presidency by personally dealing with rebellious protests in the districts.

After a couple more exchanges with Sterling, they pass the lead on to Jamelia. It is time to find out what the 4th Quarter Quell has in store for them this year.

"It has been 100 years since the great rebellion of the districts against our beloved Capitol. Lives were lost. Whole districts were lost even, but we were stronger. Out of the ashes, we grew. The Hunger Games serves as a reminder to us all that only the strongest will rise out of the ashes. Only the strongest deserve to. It is my honor today, to announce the guidelines for the 4th Quarter Quell."

Jamelia waits as a young boy holding the wooden box which holds the Quarter Quell guidelines approaches the stage. When he reaches her, Jamelia opens the box and pulls an envelope out of it. She nods her thanks to the boy who backs up and takes his spot just off camera. Golden ink, the number 100, shines on the envelope. Jamelia opens the envelope and pulls a small card out.

She begins reading, "As a reminder that loyalty to the Capitol is greater than all else, two tributes will be chosen amongst those eligible from the Capitol itself in addition to those chosen from the districts." Jamelia feels the flicker, hears the whispers before she even finishes reading the card. The audience in the studio are perplexed. She can't even imagine the reactions of those at home. Tributes from the Capitol? Even she could not see that coming.

She had little time to assess the reactions of those in the audience when Sterling is next to her, a big but almost forced smile on their face. They are clapping, encouraging the audience to follow suit. Soon, they are all clapping, too. Slowly, at first, then picking up momentum as they realize that there is nothing they can do.

Nothing except remain loyal to the Capitol.


	2. The President & The Gamemaker

**The President & The Gamemaker**

The weeks following the Quarter Quell announcement were mostly predictable in Jamelia's opinion. Messages and phone calls came in from the Capitol's residents asking if the announcement was a joke. "It was not," Jamelia's team would answer somberly but giving no further details.

Jamelia found herself spending long days in meetings. Not uncommon for the President of Panem, but certainly more tedious than usual. Groups came in asking if there was anything she could do. She could not. And frankly, she would tell those who got past her team, the lack of loyalty and faith to the Capitol that they were displaying was despicable. It took time, but the voices of dissent were soon quieted. Nobody wanted to be seen as being disloyal. History told them what happened to those who were disloyal.

Nearly a month and a half after the announcement, Jamelia Ashe found herself in an elevator, surrounded by a team of advisors. As the elevator ascended, her team briefed her on the meeting that was to come.

The elevator opened upon a room full of people bustling about. Most were at computers, entranced in whatever appeared on their screens. Many stood in groups, observing and discussing the hologram figures between them. More hurried through the room, carrying odds and ends to who knows where. Others walked through the room carrying trays of food and drink for the ones who were busy working. They are the ones who stood silently, waiting to be summoned over by the ones who were hard at work.

In the middle of the chaos stood Aurelius Templeton. If his tall and muscular stature did not cause him to stand out, then his sparkling golden skin and long, bright pink, dreadlocked hair might catch an eye or two. Aurelius stood in front of a large holographic image, his arms crossed and his lips pursed as if he were in deep thought when, really, he wasnʻt. He pretended not to notice the President and her team as they walked off of the elevator and toward his station. He held this position until his assistant, Leena, tapped his arm gently.

"I am so sorry to bother you sir," Leena mumbled, "President Ashe is hear for your meeting."

"Thank you, Leena," he said, sending a dazzling smile in her direction, which caused the girl to blush and retreat to her desk toward the back of the large room.

Aurelius turned on his heel to greet the President, who stood just a few feet away from him, "President Ashe. It is lovely to see you as always.

"I could say the same for you Aurelius," Jamelia responded with a pinched smile.

The two exchanged a glance of contempt. Neither liked the other very much but neither could express their discontent either. Aurelius viewed Jamelia Ashe as a weakling. A female president, in his opinion, would run the entire operation the ground. He didnʻt know how she could have been selected in the first place. To him, it was a fluke that she had even made it far enough to be considered. Her show of cruelty toward the few rebels who had remained in the districts was just that, a show.

Jamelia, on the other hand, could not exactly pinpoint what it was about Aurelius that she disliked. There was just something about him that made her uneasy. Aurelius had been the Head Gamemaker for years now, she knew his type of cruelty well. She even enjoyed watching others suffer at his hands. But there was something about his smile, both charming and cool, that rubbed her the wrong way. Perhaps it was the fact that it remained the only part of his body that was mostly untouched by the Capitolʻs hands. Or just the fact that it always seemed to be loaded with more than the words he spoke. Whatever it was, it left her feeling uneasy and vulnerable every time she met with him.

Jamelia broke the silence between them, "Well, Aurelius?" she asked simply, reminding him that she was not there to games but rather to approve Aureliusʻ plans for this yearʻs arena.

"Right this way Ms. President," Aurelius said, smiling through gritted teeth. He despised that fact that his plans had to be approved by this woman. As such, the President always had the final approval. Withdrawing that approval from the President would cause an uproar within the government; louder even than the one that occurred when the Quarter Quell guidelines were announced.

Aurelius led Jamelia and her team to the large hologram that he had been observing when they arrived. He began to describe the arena and his plans to her as she listened intently. A smile slowly began to creep to her face as she observed. She concluded that she didnʻt have to like the person to like the thing they created. She understood why he had been chosen as the Head Gamemaker. She appreciated the effort that must have gone into planning these particular games. It had to be spectacular. Afterall, it was not only a Quarter Quell, it was also the centennial Hunger Games. Even if the Capitol citizens were upset at the terms of the Quarter Quell, they would quickly forget their anger when they took a look at this arena.

"I approve."

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**A/N: **A burst of inspiration came and I could not wait to write this chapter. That being said, I imagine that there will be only one more chapter (if that) before I want to begin writing the reapings. Of course, in order for me to write the reapings I will need some tributes. SYOT info and forms are in my profile. Please send me some. I mean, I only need 13. K thanks, bye! Also reviews are nice. /p


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